Tag: Reading

Book Title: I’d Rather Read – Your favourite authors on their favourite books

Authors: Various

It is a cute little book. Kudos to Rupa & Co (Rupa Publications) on making yet another lovely product, a book. As a bibliophile this book caught my attention for many reasons – its a well made book; its a book about books; its a collection of write-ups by various authors (who are all book lovers).

I kind of enjoyed every piece, soaking in the love for books that every writer possessed. It looks like there are many crazy ones (book lovers) around here. We may not meet them too often, simply because they would rather read than talk!

The book highlights the fact that people read books for many reasons. Reading without a purpose is probably the best way to read. Reading widely is another good trait to pick up. While we make our own little libraries (difficult to maintain these days); going to local libraries and breathing that ethereal air makes for great joy. The sheer variety in the approaches the authors of this volume have taken to loving books itself shows creativity and provides inspiration.

If you are a bibliophile and an avid reader – you should pick this book up. It will tell you that it is not the rich and the famous who collect and read books; it is those who collect and read that become rich and famous in their own ways.

Don’t think much about it, simply pick up the book, you may start enjoying the company of books too. Try it!

Nobody needs to state the fact that reading is on the decline. But look around and you will find that we are generating more information than we ever have had access to in the past. Ask working people and they will tell you they do not find the time to read anything. But then what about our students – whose vocation, duty and responsibility is to voraciously consume information and knowledge?
So wheres the problem?

The problem at least with students who are reading much lesser than their predecessors are the following:

they are spending more time commuting than before

they are spending more time staying in touch than before

they are doing more activities than studying at college

they have less energy than before at the end of day

they have so much to do for others (teachers, college, exams, etc) than before

With all the above and more – even students ask me: ‘Sir, where is the time to read so much that you give us?’

I feel sad for these students because if there is anything that a student can do to build up a knowledge base – it is through reading. Only if they read widely they can see the world (including individuals, families, companies, other social groups) differently. They can observe and identify challenges to work on! They can then contribute through thinking and experiments!

But if there is no reading, it is like going back 50 years in time. Going back to start all over again.

I agree that we can always search solutions to specific questions on Google – but knowledge is not “what can be reached” it is “what has been reached”.

Think about it! I hope this will serve as a trigger for you to protect your reading time or your listening time (if you listen to books than read them).

I read recently that Warren Buffett, the legendary investor, still reads 6 hours a day and he is close to 90 years of age!! He has been doing this for over 60 years!! So where else do we need to go for proof! So where’s the delay – go pick up a book!

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There are times when one wonders why anyone should read so much. Many times i have been asked how reading has helped or is going to help from people who don’t read as much. I found one quote that kind of captures the responses i have been attempting to give – Happy Reading!

PS: I have to thank Author Robin Sharma for sharing this photo via Twitter.